Northern Governors Wives meet in Abuja to tackle drug abuse menace

Philippines Vice President Leni Robredo, an arch-rival of President Rodrigo Duterte and staunch critic of his deadly drug war, said Thursday she will run for the top job, becoming the leading opposition candidate in a crowded election field.

The head of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohammed Buba Marwa, is proposing a mandatory drug test for persons intending to get married. In the opinion of the retired army general, compulsory drug tests for intending couples will reduce the prevalence of drug abuse in Nigeria. GuardianTV went to the Federal Marriage Registry, in Ikoyi, Lagos, to sample the opinion of Nigerians – including a few recently wed – on how they feel about Marwa’s proposal.

Today's Focus takes us to Kinshasa, DRC's sprawling capital city, where growing addiction to "bombé," a new artisanal drug, is rattling authorities. The lethargy-inducing mixture is made of crushed pills (often opioids but composition varies) and chemical residue that's been filtered through exhaust pipes.

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Hundreds of drug users shelter in squalid conditions under a bridge in western Kabul synonymous with hard drugs and violent crime - and since the Taliban came to power, raids on areas where addicts gather have become more frequent. With poppies cheap and easy to grow, Afghanistan provides around 90 percent of the world's production of heroin, but since retaking power the Taliban have pledged to ban narcotics production.

Dairo Antonio Usuga was captured in a jungle raid involving 500 police personnel and 22 helicopters. President Ivan Duque compared it to the fall of Pablo Escobar.

Handing the win to pharmaceutical companies, the judge said the plaintiffs hadn't proven that deceptive marketing by the firms led to a rise in unnecessary opioid prescriptions.

Suspected bandits in the early hours of Tuesday attacked the staff quarters of the University of Abuja, abducting four staff of the institution along with their children.

A shootout involving rival gangs near the Mexican resort of Cancun has left two suspected drug dealers dead. The gun battle sparked panic among foreign tourists.

Deaths resulting from drug overdoses in the US are higher than those from guns and car crashes. Experts believe that an increased use of fentanyl is to blame for the "tragic milestone."

Indian police claim two marijuana smugglers were using Amazon's website to order and move their product. Investigators accused the retail giant of "not cooperating" with the authorities.

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